Machine for applying bottle-stoppers.



J. H. GRUVER.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING BOTTLE STOPPERS.

` APPLICATION FILED APR. I3. |914. 1,212,209. Patented 131.1111917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. H. GRUVER.

MACHINE FOR APPLYzNG BOTTLE sToPPERS.

APPLICACHON` FILED APR. I3, 1914.

Patented Jan.16,191?,

1,212,209. 2 ET H 2 ,I Z, 55 a 55 16 u i a I 16 1,'6 r U 16 y I UNTTEDsTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JOSEPH HARRY GRU'VER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SIMPLEXPROTECTIVE STOEPER CO., 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY-LAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,549.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH HARRY GRUVER, citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Applying Bottle-Stoppers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to machines for applying protective bottleStoppers to bottles, and is yparticularly adapted for applying Stoppersof the Vclass disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States of J. H.A

Graver, July 21, 1911, #1,104,420.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine forapplying protective bottle Stoppers to bottles vin vwhich the bottlehaving the outer stopper shell inserted in its neck is placed on themachine, and brought under compression into .contact with a nonrotatingmember which engages and holds the stopper firmly in place againstrotation while a second rotating member carrying the spinning mechanismis actuated to spin the fiange of the stopper into a groove formed inthe bottle neck.

Among others, this invention has forits object to provide a machine ofthe above type, the parts of which can be suitably adjusted for thepurpose of applying Stoppers to bottles of different heights.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, more fully set forth in thefollowing specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings andmore specilicallypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings z-Figure l is a side elevation of the complete machinewith a bottle in place. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of thespinning head with parts in their initial position, the lbottle neckwith the stopper therein being shown in dotted lines. Fig?) is a similarview, but with the parts shown in position at the completion of thespinning operation. Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view of Vparts shown nin Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig.2. Fig. Gis an enlarged detail of one of the spinning dogs. Fig. 7 is.27.1.1 enlarged detail .93? en@ Aof inserire-ieg zgroove orv recess .oof the bottle.

disks detached; and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the cap inengagement with the spinning disks.

In Fig. l of the drawings, the main upright frame of the machine isshown at 2 supported on the base l. A vertically adjustable bottlesupport 3 is carried on shaft 4, slidably guided in the brackets 5extending from the main frame 2. The stopper applying mechanism andspinning means are carried in a supporting bracket 6, of the frame worklocated near its upper end. As shown a suitable table 7, upon which themotor 9 is carried, may be connected to the machine frame and supportedthereto by the bracket 8.

In order that clear understanding of the functions of the several partsof the spinning mechanism may be'had reference is here made to thedetail of the bottle neck shown in Fig. 2 with the outer shell of thestopper inserted in position for-spinning. It will be noted that.- thebottle neck is formed with a small inner shoulder a. The restricteddiameter of the 'neck' widens above `this point and this widened portionis provided with a Small annular groove or recess b. The outer metallicshell of the bottle stopperhas a main cylindrical portion ccorresponding to the inner diameter of the restricted portion of the'bottle neck and a shoulder d adapted to rest on the inner shoulder a ofthe bottle having a small upstanding vertical flange e. The purpose ofthe present machine is to firmly grip the stopper shell after it hasbeen placed in position in the bottle neck, hold it against rotation andspin the metal flange e into the A small washer f of cork or othersuitable material is shown interposed between the shoulder a lof thebottle neck and the corresponding shoulder d of the stopper to form anair' tight seat at this point.

. The shaft 4, upon the upper end of which is carried the cup-shapedbottle support 3, is formed with an upper and a lower part 4a and 41Jrespectively, which are coupled together by means of a sleeve l0 pinnedto the lower part and having a lock nut 11 coper- A18.* formed with anannular flange 30 intermebottle when in position on its support. Thisarm is laterally adjustable to accommodate different sized bottles.

The supporting bracket 6 is made with a central recess 15, leaving thetwo journal bearings 16 and 17 each of semi-circular cross-section.These bearing members are lprovided with detachable caps 16a and 17arespectively. A vertical hollow shaft 18 is carried in these journalbearings and is provided with4 a` driving pulley 19 slidably keyedthereon and interposed between the parts 16 and 17 in the recess 15.'lhe twisted driving belt 20 passes over the guide pulleys 21 thencetothe motor 9. `A vertically adjustable stop collar 22.iscarried-on theupper end of the shaft 18 and its bearing against the upper surface ofthe journal bracket l-determines the exact normal position of the shaft.A cylindrical cam ring 23 having a central inverted cup-shaped opening27 surrounds the lower end of the shaft 18 and is rigidly clamped to thelower surfaces of the parts 17 and 17a-` by `means of ,two semi-circularwasher plates 24 which fit into an annular groove and are fastenedthereto by the screws 25 into depending lug pieces 26. l

A cylindrical extension or rotating sleeve 28, havinga central bore, isscrew threaded upon the reduced lower end 29 of the shaft This extensionmember or sleeve yis diate of its length. The lower portion of thesleeve 28 is bifurcated having a transverse' slot 31 which passesdiametrically through from side to side and extends vertically from theupper edgeof the flange 30 to the lower end of sleeve 28, forming a pairof depending arms 32 of substantially semicircular cross-section.

A small central shaft 33 extends Vthrough the bore of the shaft 18 andis provided at its upper end with a squared nut-shaped portion 34 havinga bearing against the upper end of the shaft 18. The forked end of Y aspring 35, extending from the upper end -of the machine frame, engagesgrooves formedon two opposite faces of the nut 34 Y and serves thedouble purpose of holding the shaft 33 firmly against rotation and ofnormally pressing theshafts 33 and 18 both into their lowerniostpositions. A plunger stein 36 is screw threaded into an internallyformed thread in the lower end of the central shaft 33 and extendsdowntension 28, tapering at its lower end and having formed thereon acup-sliaped head 37 which normally extends slightly below the ends ofthe depending arms 32. Pivotally mounted at 39 in the slot 31 betweenthe arms 32, are a pair of spinning dogs 38. These dogs are formed witha pair of integral arms disposed in substantially a straight angle withrespect to each other and are pivoted about a central axis. r1he upperarm of each dog has fastened to its outer edge a heavy spring finger 40,carrying a button or anti-frictional ball Ll1 at its free end, whichlatter is adapted to bear upon the inner curved surface of thecup-shaped wall 27 formed in the rigid cam ring In order to maintain theupper arms of the dogs in a normally distended position, coiled springs42 are interposed in sockets formed in the member 28 adapted to bearagainst the inner surface of the arms as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Theends of the lower arms are each provided with a spinning disk -l3 formedwith a stem lll which extends within a` recess in the lower end of thearm and is held in position by a pin 4G coperating with a grooved head45 of the stein. These spinning disks can rotate freely within theirbearings.

The operation of the machine is a follows: The motor may be consideredas running and through the belt 20 and driving pulley 19 rotating theshaft 18, and the spinning mechanism carried by the rotating sleeveextension at its lower end. The various parts are in the position shownin Fig. 2. The bottle having the stopper shell inserted within its neckis placed on the bottle support 3, the neck being guided in the V-shaped yoke 14:. The operator then depresses the foot treadle 12,bringing the bottle into contact with the depending spinning mechanism.The desired degree of compression can be determined by the pressureexerted on the foot lever. The cupshaped yplunger 37 first seats itselfon the inner shoulder d of the stopper and forms a closed seal over theopening in the stopper and bears snugly against the upstanding stopperflange, thus preventing any oil,

dust or dirt made by the spinning operation from falling through intothe contents of the bottle. As the upward movement of' the bottle'continues the plunger stem and ceni tral shaft 33, which are heldagainst rotation but are capable of vertically sliding within the shaft18 against the action of the spring 35, rise until the upper surfaceofthe cup plunger contacts with the lower surface of the depending lugs32. A continued upward pressure causes the shafts 33 and 18 to move inunison, distending the spring 35 as shown in Fig. 3. lAs the partscarried Y, Wardly through the bore of the sleeve exon the lower end ofthe rotating shaft 18 ascend the buttons of the spring lingersV on theupper arms of the spinning dogs travel inward along the curved surfacesof the fixed cup-shaped wall 27, moving the dogs about their aXes andthrwing the lower arms carrying the spinning disks outward into theposition shown in Fig. 3, during which action the metal rim or flange eof the stopper is spun into the groove b in the bottle neck. When theoperation is complete by releasing the pressure on the foot treadle, theparts will be returned to their normal position and the bottle loweredso that it can be removed and replaced by another.

By having the shaft 18 carrying the rotating spinning sleeve 28vertically adjustable by means of the stop collar 2Q, the position ofthe spring lingers l-O of the spinning dogs can be moved with respect tothe curved surface 2T of the fixed cup plate 23, hence the outward throwof the spinning dogs regulated to accommodate various sized bottlenecks.

Another advantage gained by the particular form of plunger used in thepresent machine is that the cup-shaped member 37 does not touch theinner member of the bottle stopper and hence protects same againstscratching.

By using two spinning disks the process of spinning is made easier andmore rapid and the spinning tends to harden the metal of the stopper atthis point Without taking off the plating, and makes it impossible toget the stopper out of the bottle neck, without serious damage, ordestroying of the bottle. The ends of the dogs may however, be providedwith specially formed feet which would actin a somewhat similar mannerto the rotating disks above described.

The machine above described can easily be operated and all its movementscontrolled by one man, the foot treadle being the principal member bywhich the various parts are caused to perform their various and severalfunctions. l

Having described my invention what I claim is 1. In combination anon-rotary plunger having an enlarged head at its lower end to press onthe bottle stopper, a rotating sleeve surrounding said plunger, bothsaid plunger and sleeve being vertically movable, the latter beingmovable upwardly by contact of the head therewith when raised by thebottle, a spring exerting downward pressure on the plunger, a spinningmember mounted on the sleeve intermediate of its length and having aspinning tool at its lower end, to be moved radially outward for itsspinning action when the upper end of said member is moved radiallyinward, and means for moving said upper end inwardly and holdlthespinning member bears,

ing thesleeve with its spinning member to its work, consisting of anoverhanging cam on the inner side of which the upper end of described.

2. In combination in amachine for seating within a bottle mouth astopper having an upstanding portion and an interior cover portion witha shoulder between. said cover portion and said upstanding portion, andin combination a plunger having an inverted cup-shaped head at its lowerend, the rim of which is adapted to bear on the shoulder of the stopperbetween the cover portion and the upstanding portion, means foryieldingly holding said plunger with its cup-shaped head to their work,a vertically movable sleeve rotatable about the plunger, a spinningmember pivotally mounted on said sleeve normally overlying the invertedcup-shaped head, and a cam for operating the spinning member outwardlyin respect to thel cup-shaped head as the sleeve rises, substantially asdescribed.

3. In combination in a machine for setting bottle stoppers in place, anon-rotating plunger having a head at its lower end to bear on thebottle stopper and a rotating sleeve surrounding the said plunger, aspinning member pivotally mounted at the lower end of the sleeve, a camfor operating said spinning member, said sleeve with the spinning memberbeing vertically movable, and said inner plunger being verticallymovable independently of the sleeve to bring its head in contact withthe sleeve and thereafter rise with the same, means for yieldinglypressing the plunger downwardly, and adjustable stop means for changingthe vertical position of the sleeve in relation to the plunger and itshead, substantially as described. l. In combination a plunger, aspinning tool, a rotary carrier for the spinning tool rotatable aboutthe plunger, a ycup-shaped member carried by the plunger and having arim reaching downward therefrom, the said spinning tool overlying thecup-shaped member close to the plunger when in inoperative position andan inverted cup-shaped cam, the said spinning tool having a portionbearing on the inner side of said cup-shaped cam to be operated thereby,the said rotary carrier having vertical movementl in respect to saidcam, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a journal bearingextending therefrom, a rotating shaft slidably journaled therein andcarrying a spinning sleeve on its lower end, a central shaft slidablymounted within said rotating shaft and having a plunger at its lower endextending below said spinning sleeve, an adjustable collar on the Vupperpart of said rotating shaft adapted to limit the downward movement ofsubstantially as said shaft n its bearing, and a vspring hav- Intestimony whereof, Ifalx myfsignature lng one end secured to sacl frameand the n lpresence of two Witnesses.

other engafinn .the upper end ofssaicl oen- T, t

tml shaft tto 2llold '1t against rotation and JOSEPH HARR GRUVER adaptedto holcl the two shafts normally in lVtnesses:

their respective lowermost positions, sub- J. XVM. SHEFFER,

stantally as described.v E. A. MAGPARLAND.

`Gopies of this patent ma;r be obtained `for ve cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D .6.

